Dobama Emerging Actors Program

Dobama Theatre continues its commitment to education programming as the successful Dobama Emerging Actors Program, our summer intensive acting program for high school and college students, returns for the 9th season in summer 2018.

OVERVIEW

Acting is an art form. This fact is at the curricular center of the Dobama Emerging Actors Program. In all art forms, technique work is essential to give an artist the greatest ability to communicate. The dancer builds strength and flexibility, the singer works on vocal support and resonance, and the painter perfects brush techniques and the creation of shape or color. But in today’s culture, the vast majority of theatre experiences for the young actor place product over process; emphasize parts in plays over coursework in technique and training. DEAP is different. DEAP is a process-centered and technique-based program for serious young actors.

FACULTY

DEAP students work with faculty with both degrees from respected performing arts programs and extensive professional experience. These instructors specialize in the coursework they teach and have the singular focus of broadening each student’s understanding of the art of acting. In recent years we’ve had faculty from Case Western Reserve University, Baldwin Wallace, and Cleveland Play House MFA program.

PRODUCTIONS

Productions are performed in blackbox style, so that by stripping away elaborate sets and costumes, students and audience members are left to focus on the actors on the stage.Combined with the work done in class, and the discoveries made through exercises in their coursework, these performances contain exciting moments of theatre and promote artistic growth for each actor.

Productions are centered on ensemble building, character development, storytelling and communication, as well as deeper understanding of text. Each piece is done in the beautiful and intimate Dobama Theatre.

DEAP’s production is always based on heightened text and/ or classical repertoire. We do a three year cycle of a Greek Drama, Modern Heightened Text, and a Shakespeare.

DEAP gave me the tools I needed to trust myself as an actor. It has given me a solid base of technique and the ability to work successfully in an ensemble.DEAP is the only program of this caliber in the Cleveland area. It is complete with a group of established faculty who have a strong awareness of the young actors psyche. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to hone my craft.

— Katie W., former DEAP student

HISTORY

In July 2010, Dobama initiated DEAP, the Dobama Emerging Actors Program, an auditioned, month-long intensive acting program for high school and college students featuring technique-based courses culminating in a full-length production. The education model is that of a college conservatory curriculum. Guest artists and master teachers teach high-level courses, then students apply those skills in afternoon rehearsals for a heightened text production. DEAP began in order to give students in the Northeast Ohio area an opportunity to get serious, technique-based training to support a process-centered approach to acting. This instruction will help prepare young actors for collegiate acting programs, give students a broader perspective of what theatre is, and enrich their performance experiences by changing their approach to creating a character and building their own technique.

CURRICULUM

Intro to Michael Chekhov technique

Intro to Meisner technique

Laban technique for the Actor

Advanced Acting (Stanislavsky based)

Movement for the Actor

4 part Vocal Technique

Script Analysis

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Alexander Technique

Audition Technique/College Audition Workshop

Improvisation

Buisness of the Business

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a completed application with a headshot and resume (due: 5/1/18)

Prepare a 1-2 minute monologue (this is done by video submission)

There may be a short interview and time of conversation via phone or in person where we’ll get to know you better and you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions about the program.

COST

The tuition for the program is $1,200 however no student accepted into the program will be turned away based on inability to pay. Need-based scholarships and work study are available to any accepted student who qualifies. Financial aid is need-based only.